Referral Guidelines for Distance Learners

Because of the sensitive
quality of the therapy relationship and the importance of having a face-to-face
therapeutic interaction, the SCC does not provide therapy services to
students via phone, e-mail, or internet. For students who are not physically
located in Lubbock, Texas, the following guidelines may be useful in finding
therapy services that will meet your needs.

If you
are in immediate crisis, please call 911.

Do You Have
Insurance Coverage? If so, you will need to find out if your
policy includes mental health coverage (sometimes referred to as Behavioral
Health or Behavioral Medicine coverage). Most policies provide coverage,
but the limits of coverage vary widely. Your insurance card should have
a number you can call to find out what your policy covers. Most insurance
companies also have websites where you can find a list of providers in
your area. (e.g., Blue Cross/Blue Shield provides a professional finder
search on their website http://www.bcbs.com/). Most insurance comppaniess
require that you submit a “co-pay” for each visit. This may
be a set fee or a percentage of your provider’s hourly fee and is
typically much less than the provider’s full fee.

What if
I Don’t Have Insurance Coverage? You have a few options
in this case. If you have the finances, you can pay for therapy on a fee-for-service
basis. Depending on the therapist's level of education and geographic
area, fees can vary widely. Hourly fees for doctoral-level psychologists
in larger metropolitan areas can run upwards of $120 per hour or more.
There are a few less expensive options, though. If you live near a large
university that has graduate programs in psychology, call them to find
out if they have an on-campus psychology clinic for community members.
You will be seen by a graduate trainee under the supervision of a faculty
member – often these services are very adequate for most presenting
concerns. Many communities also have a community mental health agency,
which provides low or no-cost mental health services to the community.
The phone number can be found under the State Government Offices listing
in your phone directory, or you can access the Texas Department of State Health Services website.

How Do I
Find a Therapist That Will Meet My Needs? As a general rule of
thumb, ask! Some therapists may agree to meet with you briefly at no charge
to determine fit of services for you. You can also request to speak briefly
with the therapist by phone. You will need to summarize your concerns
very briefly – the therapist will tell you whether or not they have
the expertise to meet your specific needs. If they do not, most therapists
are happy to provide you with a referral name(s) for other providers.

For students who
are interested in further reading about finding a therapist, you might
consider reading A Guide to Psychotherapy by Gerald Amada, Ph.D. The following is an excerpt:

How Should
I Select a Psychotherapist? Many people devote little forethought
and inquiry to finding a therapist. Many of these same people will spend
weeks, even months, anguishing and ruminating over which car they will
purchase. They test-drive cars, consult Consumer Reports, discuss the
matter with anyone who will listen to their plight and finally make what
they hope is an intelligent choice. But when they experience a psychological
crisis they unthinkingly open the Yellow Pages, read the listing of therapists
and select, for instance, a therapist whose name is similar to that of
their once favorite nursery school teacher. Perhaps without asking the
therapist a single thing about his professional background, training and
qualifications, they immediately request an appointment and, fingers anxiously
crossed, hope for the best.